Lenore Pinello of Tequesta's In the Kitchen shows us how to make Mussels in White Wine, a simple and delicious dish with hints of New England flavors by way of Parisian technique.

Mussels inWhite Wine

3 pounds cultivated mussels

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)

1½ tablespoons minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)

½ cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)

½ teaspoon good saffron threads

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 cup good white wine

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard” from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

A self-described home cook, Lenore Pinello discovered her calling when she retired to Jupiter from a 28-year career in the publishing industry. After being invited to lead a cooking class and pulling recipes from her family cookbook, Mangia Mama, Pinello found her “second career.” Thus, In the Kitchen was born.

In the Kitchen opened in 2007 in the quaint Gallery Square North in Tequesta. Part store, part demonstration kitchen, In the Kitchen is a place where cooking and fun go hand in hand. Leading cooking demonstrations, classes and private events, Pinello welcomes guests into In the Kitchen, more home than retail shop, to learn new cooking techniques, improve skills or just enjoy the company and a great meal. Pinello, along with guest chefs or veteran chef Joseph Scarmuzzi, prepares each dinner.

With a strong Italian heritage, Pinello’s life never strayed far from the kitchen. She is fond of saying her grandmother “never made a bad dinner. She would stick with it until it was perfect.” Never receiving any formal cooking instruction, Pinello attributes her cooking skills to her mother and sister, both proficient chefs in their own right. The cookbook Mangia Mama is filled with the family recipes Pinello grew up on and is at the heart of In the Kitchen.

About In the Kitchen:

In the Kitchen is part demonstration kitchen, part gourmet cooking shop. Fully stocked in high-end chef’s gadgets and tools, unique kitchen gifts, local art and gourmet cooking products, In the Kitchen is North County’s go-to cooking store.

Cooking classes and demonstrations include guest chefs and special events. Dinners include multiple courses with various themes influenced heavily by the seasons. Prices vary, and class themes change as often as the seasons, so check In the Kitchen’s schedule for what’s cooking.